Starter for internal combustion engines



July 3, 1956 P. TORRE 2,753,015

STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed July 1v, 1952 INVENTORP/ER u/G/ TORRE ATTORNEYS STARTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES PierLuigi Torre, Milan, Italy Application July 17, 1952, Serial No. 299,417Claims priority, application Italy July 17, 1951 1 Claim. (Cl. 18S- 40)The present invention relates to a spring powered Semiautomatic starterfor internal combustion engines for automotive vehicles, motorcycles andstationary plants.

The starter according to the invention makes it possible to obtainthrough the preliminary loading of a spring, a very powerful crankingimpulse always constant, independently of the ability and the strengthof the operator.

Such a device, that can be substituted for any application of hand orpedal cranking, permits by a very simple loading operation requiring noparticular effort, a prompt starting under any condition.

The accompanying drawing illustrates diagrammatically and by way ofexample an embodiment of the invention, and namely:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view, partially sectioned, of the device,

Fig. 2 is a sectional View in a plane perpendicular to the plane of Fig.1, and passing through the center-line of the shaft transmitting themotion to the engine crankshaft.

The device under consideration, as is clearly apparent from the drawing,comprises a sturdy spring 1, positioned inside a shell 2 and adapted toactuate the axial displacement of a rod 3 carrying a rack 4. Said rack 4is adapted to effect, by its movement in a certain direction, therotation of a shaft 10 that transmits the movement to the enginecrank-shaft. Said transmission of movement from the rack 4 to the shaft10, is effected with the aid of a pinion 6 keyed on a same shaft as atoothed sector 5 meshing with a pinion 12 journaled on shaft 10 so as tobe fast with said shaft only for rotation in a certain direction, whileit remains idle on same for rotation in the reversed direction. Saidshaft 10 in its turn is connected through gear 13 with the engine crankshaft (not shown).

It is then apparent how, when the spring is released, the enginecrank-shaft is cranked by the action of the rack 4 on the pinion 6, thatrotates together with the toothed sector 5, meshing with pinion 12, thusobtaining the desired starting of the engine.

The release of the spring 1 is obtained by means of the disengagement ofthe locking member 8, actuated through the lever 9, which may also beremotely operated by means of a flexible steel cable or the like.

2,753,015 Patented July 3, 1956 ICC Upon the complete release of the:spring 1, sector 5 will have over stepped the meshing point with pinion12 whereby this last one is no more engaged with said sector and canfreely rotate.

The loading of the spring for the next starting operation is obtained,in the example of embodiment illustrated in the drawing, by acting onsector 5 by means of a gear 7, which will preferably be a speed reducinggear so as to require a minimum effort. The actuation of said gear 7 maybe etiected through a pedal 11, shown in dotted lines in the drawing, orthrough a handle capable of successive limited radial travels or else bymeans of a cranking handle operable through one or more completerevolutions.

As soon as the spring 1 has been compressed, the locking member 8automatically cornes into engagement with the rack 4 so as to lock thespring in its loaded position. The device is thus ready for a newstarting cycle which will be effected, as the previous one, by acting onlever 9. ln particular, each loading of the spring 1 may eventually alsobe obtained by the very power of the engine, as soon as it is started,thus avoiding every hand operation or eiiort for the starting.

It is evident that all the construction details, the shape and sizes ofthe several parts may practically Vary according to needs, withouttherefore departing from the iield and scope of the present invention.

What I claim s:

A spring powered semi-automatic starter for internal combustion enginescomprising a housing, a rod carrying a rack positioned in said housing,a spring that can be loaded by compression surrounding said rod withinthe housing for actuating said rod upon its release, a pinion meshingwith the rack and mounted for rotation about a iirst tixed axis, atoothed wheel mounted for rotation about said iirst axis and being fixedwith respect to the pinion whereby rotation of either will causerotation of the other, an engine starting pinion mounted on a secondfixed axis and meshing with the toothed wheel, a gear mounted on a thirdfixed axis and meshing with the toothed wheel for rotating the toothed`Wheel to load the spring, releasable means for retaining the rod andrack in position against movement under the action of the spring, a oneway clutch having a meshing connection with the engine starting pinionfor transmitting cranking motion in one direction only, and means forautomatically actuating the releasable retaining means upon the rack androd reaching the position in which the spring is fully loading, saidpinions, toothed wheel, gear, releasable retaining means for the rod andrack and clutch are all retained within the housing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS944,316 Cantono Dec. 28, 1909 1,049,206 Cantone Dec. 31, 1912 1,142,889Knapp June 15, 1915 1,217,563 Cantono Feb. 27, 1917

